Kentucky Senator Says Personal Experience Led to Support for Legalization

State Sen. Dan Seum has sponsored a bill to legalize recreational use of marijuana in Kentucky, and he’s not shy about sharing the fact his own experiences have led him to the move.

Sen. Seum discussed his fight with colon cancer seven years prior, noting that while he was prescribed OxyContin, he quickly trashed the bottle and replaced it with marijuana use to dull the pain.

Sen. Seum noted he was aware that his use was against the law, and he hopes that sharing his experience will be a push in the right direction for marijuana legislation in Kentucky. Sen. Seum also noted that he has been aware of marijuana use since his youth, when specific strains garnered more respect from those who used them. Those individuals have not died or had other serious consequences from marijuana use — at least none that have reached the attention of the senator.

The state of Kentucky has legislators filing a bill to allow those with a debilitating illness to use medical marijuana as a means for effective treatment. This bill is led by Republicans and is still facing uncertainty in terms of whether or not it will successfully pass.

The bill’s focus, according to legislators, is to provide relief to citizens facing a struggle with pain or other related medical issues. The potential revenue from the program is not a significant factor in the appeal, or so say those supporting the bill.

The bill outlines possession limitations and requires a yearly licensing fee. It also stipulates that the Office of Alcoholic Beverage Control, under the purview of the Department of Public Protection, would be in charge of regulations and licensing for medical marijuana in Kentucky.

House Bill 136 is expected to help as many as 60,000 Kentucky residents who face conditions that would benefit from medical marijuana as a treatment.

Meanwhile, Sen. Seum has sponsored a bill that would legalize recreational use for adults in the state age 21 and older. The fate of the medical marijuana bill may well provide an accurate sense of how much support the recreational use bill will see when it moves through the legislature.

JoEllen Wankel is a freelance writer who has covered various topics from politics and education to healthcare and alternative energy. Wankel has written for The Bradford Era and Art of Handtools and has been published in a Chicken Soup for the Soul Compilation.